One of the most common questions I get asked about family sessions is “Is it okay if we bring our dog?” I completely understand why! Dogs are part of our family too and sometimes our portraits wouldn’t be complete without them. Here’s what to know if you want to include your dog at your next family session:
1 - A little prep work is best. Leading up to your session start practicing the commands “sit,” “down,” and “stay.” That will make your session go much smoother and your dog will feel confident in what you’re asking them to do! If there’s a certain trick you’d love to capture them doing during your session, make sure to practice that too.
2 - Be flexible. While practicing tricks is great and I have lots of pet tricks up my sleeve, ultimately pets are going to do what they want to do! Enjoy the time with them and try not to stress if you don’t think things are going 100%. I promise that your cutie is doing great.
3 - Bring a helping hand. Not every image will include your pet, so it may be a good idea to bring an extra helper you trust who can walk them around when their part of the session is done. Do this with care though. If the extra person will distract your kiddos, or they won’t be happy walking away from all the action of your session, it may be best to handle the dog on your own.
4 - Be patient. Not every location allows pets, and even some that do allow them still limit where you can bring them. During the busy spring and fall months, this means that you may need to be flexible about when you schedule your session because location options are more limited. This may mean booking your session much earlier than usual, booking your session during the week, or waiting longer for an available pet-friendly date.
5 - Think of your pet too. Does your dog like new locations and new people? Are they generally easy-going, or are they more anxious? Are they well-behaved and calm, or will their energy take over? If your pet will have a tough time during the session, it’s best to let them hang out at home. Even if your pet is super friendly, be mindful if their high energy will require a lot of attention during your session.
Kate Juliet Photography specializes in natural maternity, newborn, baby, and family portraiture in the Washington DC and Northern VA area.
All studio sessions include access to the studio wardrobe for mothers and babies to borrow clothing for your session.
Contact me to begin planning your custom portrait experience.